Rocket League And Monstercat Are Innovating How Games Get Their Soundtracks

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Anyone who's played Rocket League has heard its bumping electronic music, but there's much more behind the game's soundtrack than just some catchy tunes. Psyonix and Monstercat are innovating how music is curated and presented in video gaming.

Monstercat is an independent electronic music record label that's looking to shake up how video games curate music, starting with Rocket League. Typically, video games release a soundtrack at launch and that's it- the same 10 or 12 tracks become stale over the years, and the music rotation never grows. Since Rocket League and Monstercat's initial collaboration in 2017, the Vancouver-based label has released nearly 40 exclusive tracks for Rocket League's in-game catalog. You can stream the latest mixtape, Monstercat x Rocket League Vol. 4, on Spotify.

Thanks to the shared vision and working relationship between Monstercat and Psyonix, it's safe to say Rocket League's soundtrack will never stagnate. To learn more about this unique relationship, I got in touch with Psyonix Audio Director Mike Ault, Monstercat Promo Manager Conor Systrom, and Monstercat's Head of Gaming, Gavin Johnson.

Monstercat and Rocket League are changing how games get their music.Psyonix/Monstercat

Max Thielmeyer: How did the relationship between Psyonix and Monstercat begin?

Gavin Johnson: I met Josh Watson (Esports Operations Manager of Psyonix) at one of our Monstercat gaming-driven events during E3 of 2016. Shortly after, Josh introduced me to their Audio Director Mike Ault as he had a vision for how he wanted to approach music in Rocket League which mirrored that of our ethos with Monstercat. During our first call, it was clear that we shared the same desire to build new platforms for exhibiting artists to be on and grow. The groundwork Rocket League x Monstercat Vol. 1 begun immediately afterwards.

Mike Ault: It was a fortunate series of events. Gavin Johnson and I began talking soon after [being introduced] and started working through what a partnership between Rocket League and Monstercat might look like. It took about full year from our first contact to releasing the first playlist in game - Rocket League x Monstercat Vol 1!

Monstercat delivers music to Rocket League via specifically-curated mixtapes.Monstercat/Psyonix

MT: How is the relationship between Monstercat and Rocket League unique for gaming soundtracks?

GJ: Rocket League is looking to be a game with a truly long lifespan. With that, we needed to create a model that would provide curated tracks throughout each year and flexibility on the rights to embed those tracks alongside everything within their ecosystem like the Rocket League Championship Series and release campaigns. This creates a dynamic and more impactful experience for Rocket League's community alongside the content they are experiencing.

MA: The relationship here is unique in that it has a dual focus. Our goal isn't just to find music that fits Rocket League as a game, but to also curate music that our fans might want to discover. We are basically using Rocket League as a vehicle for music discovery. This places it in its own class since most games utilize music purely for the supportive element. Yes, all games try to find cool music to put in their game, but few do it with the intention of growing the artists themselves. We want to bring players back to Rocket League knowing they will continue to find new things they like.

Players can rep Monstercat in-game with branded decals and antennae.Monstercat/Psyonix

MT: How are tracks chosen from the Monstercat catalog for Rocket League, or are they created with Rocket League in mind?

CS: All tracks chosen for the Rocket League Albums are unreleased tracks and thus adds to the excitement of these albums in its exclusive content. With Monstercat splitting into two brands under its label umbrella with Uncaged representing the high octane and heavy side of releases (Dubstep, Trap, Drum & Bass, etc), and Instinct representing the pop driven and more vibrant releases (future bass, pop, etc), the past three Rocket League x Monstercat volumes have been representative of each side of that spectrum.

GJ: Our Director of A&R Jonathan Winter works closely with Mike Ault to make sure that tracks fit within the Rocket League sound. Each compilation is unique as they are curated around what is going on in the Rocket League universe in that point in time. With the Spring Update, it was a competitive-heavy patch with the launch of Tournaments and RLCS was kicking off into Season 5. With that, we decided to make Vol 2. ‘Uncaged’ themed which you can really feel it in the lead track ‘What Are You Waiting For’ by Stonebank.

MA: We always look at new tracks. Both Monstercat and Psyonix are interested in breaking new ground and presenting things that haven't been heard before. In that, we will go through a list of submissions from various Monstercat artists and Jonathan Winter (Head of A&R at Monstercat) and myself will discuss the pieces. We then decide if it feels right for the compilation's intentions, both for the game and as a standalone body of work.

MT: What separates Monstercat from other dance/electronic labels that makes it perfect for gaming soundtracks?

CS: I believe that since the founders of Monstercat, Mike Darlington and Ari Paunonen, were true gamers at heart, the symbiosis between dance music and gaming came naturally since the inception of the label. We understand and live both cultures and industries and so we get what creating the bridge between gaming and dance music looks like.

GJ: Monstercat stands out because we’ve built a platform that outputs multiple releases a week, an incredible payments system that pays out our artists monthly, and we hold the master and publishing rights for the original gaming soundtracks we put out which gives our partners flexibility on where they can use our records. Alongside that, we have strong roots within the gaming community through our initiatives in the space since our launch. Our fans bring further life to gaming soundtracks by engaging positively with the communities of our partners as these projects flourish.

MT: What other projects are Monstercat working on, and where can people find them?

CS: You can us on Spotify, Apple Music, our Youtube channels for Uncaged and Instinct, Soundcloud, and beyond! We also are expanding from our Vancouver HQ into the USA with a team being built in Los Angeles!

On the music side, we are excited about some big name dance artists such as SLANDER, Vicetone, Deorro, Krewella, having released on the label as well as having some breakout artists enter the spotlight while on Monstercat such as Conro who has an EP dropping October 12th; SLUMBERJACK who debuts on Monstercat on October 5th with “Daggers”; Noisestorm collaborating with legendary rap group Foreign Beggars for “Breakout” out on October 1st; and tons more.

In our live events department, we have already hosted stages at internationally revered festivals such as Tomorrowland, EDC, our numerous China dates, and plenty more in 2018. We still have a label showcase, Monstercat Uncaged at Amsterdam Dance Event being held in the legendary venue Melkweg on October 18th featuring Noisa, Feed Me, Modestep, Gammer, and others!

It's clear that Psyonix and Monstercat share the same vision for Rocket League's soundtrack, and it's very cool to see how it comes to life. Thanks again to Mike Ault from Psyonix and Conor Systrom and Gavin Johnson from Monstercat for their comments!

I'm an avid gamer and student of technology. I'm interested in how we interact with technology, and what these interactions mean. Video games are a great intersection between humans and technology, because they constantly push the envelope of interactivity and design. I've ...